1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mousetraps, and more particularly, to mousetraps capable of being reset by itself to catch more than one animal without requiring attention from the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A better mousetrap. This phrase has been coined by patent attorneys to denote improvement over the prior art as a classic example. The need for such a device is quite obvious since the destruction and disease these animals cause is well documented.
There have been many types and designs of traps for rodents. The closest prior art corresponds to the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,460 issued to Fritz Herman on Aug. 13, 1974. In this patent, a trap walk is used with a swing-type lock. Herman's trap is different from the present invention since here a prop is not used. A deficiency in Herman's device is that it can only take one animal at the time and the present invention provides a one-way tunnel that separates the trap compartment from the storage section and uses the movement of the animal to reset the trap. Therefore, the present invention can be left unattended.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.